2020 Stratus Petit Verdot

With almost inky blackness in the glass, this wine is deep and brooding. With crushed peppercorn and spice balanced with a pleasing acidity, it gives you everything you’d expect from a Petit Verdot and then some. It offers notable tannins and a leathery mouthfeel with a rich, dark berry finish. 

2020 was a remarkable year for weather and wine in Ontario. Warmer than average winter months led to a cool dry April and May. The approach of summer brought a return of the hot weather with low precipitation and humidity. Similar conditions continued through August with only short, isolated, but intense thunderstorms. While temperatures began to naturally cool, sunshine remained throughout the autumn. The dry, sunny conditions were ideal for the full and complete maturation of grapes and contributed to a smooth harvest. Across the region, unseasonably warm weather delayed the Icewine harvest, resulting in a loss of tonnage. These temperature conditions postponed picking into the last week of January. While the overall grape crop was low, quality across all varieties was exceptional.